Konalia would have let herself laugh ordinarily, but something in her consciously rebelled at the insolence that she felt exuded from the woman. She hardly represented the Old South or any of that, but really! There were just some things one maintained. Tradition, it was true, was almost mystical in the way it bound one. But, nonetheless, it did bind one, thank God! thank God! Furthermore she could see that her husband was himself a little taken back by the abruptness of the reply. People rarely resisted Paul's social charms and women almost never.

Paul tried again. "Did you like France?"

Mirine Tige looked at him again. "France is France,"

"Yes

Paul Heplin looked a little beaten, but not quite. but the French have such a marvelous thing. I me an I think it is quite true about the French attitude, don't you?"

"About what?"

"Well," Paul Heplin lifted his eye brows a little helple ssly, "About everything. That's just what I mean."

"Oh."

"Perhaps you think differently. Having seen it from a different point of view. I mean as an entertainer."

Mirine Tige sighed a little. "I have been in many different countries, Mr. Heplin. France was simply another one. I found there what I found everywhere. That it was a country full of men and women. Some of whom were charming; others bores still others beasts." She looked away.

Konalia looked at the woman. Her compelling in speech as in song. voice she had ever heard.

voice was certainly as Surely the most dramatic

"Did you like France, Madame?"

Mirine Tige switched to

French unexpectedly and Konnie almost jumped realizing that the voice made up of guitar chords was coming at her.